Jerri Winters & Genie Pace - Winter's Here + Love in a Midnight Mood (Remastered 2024) (2025)

Winter’s Here
Jerri Winters, born in 1930, was a singer from Terre Haute, Indiana. In 1948, she won top honors o nHorace Heidt’s radio program and toured as a singer with the show. Later, she moved to Chicago, where she worked as a model and a dance instructor at Arthur Murray’s dance studio. In early 1952, she was selected from 500 contestants to join the Stan Kenton band, replacing June Christy. The search was sponsored by disc jockey Gene Norman in Hollywood. Jerri stayed with Kenton for only five months, which served as both a testing ground and a crucial phase in her growth as a singer. She later established herself as a soloist in New York’s East Side club scene, earning a reputation for her silky and dusky vocal style, which led to her being dubbed “the girl with the mink-lined voice.” In 1955, she recorded her first album, “Winter’s Here,” for the Fraternity label. She went on to release two more albums in 1957 and 1962. Jerri continued to perform live until she retired in 1969. In 1981, she made a comeback, performing in Los Angeles clubs until 1984, when she left the stage for good.

Love in a Midnight Mood
Genie Pace was a new voice in the pop scene of the 50s. From a young age, she sang for family and friends but never seriously considered a professional career. In 1953, she worked with vocal coach Jimmy Rich, who helped her develop her potential and gain the necessary poise and polish. In late 1954, she was hired to sing at an Eastside club in New York for two weeks, but the gig lasted a year. By mid-1956, Genie’s career had resumed with performances at The Living Room, followed by engagements at Club 59 and La Silhouette. Her acclaimed performances led to three studio sessions that resulted in her only album, “Love in a Midnight Mood,” released on the Jade label. Genie conveyed the emotional nuances of its overall blue theme with her intimate style, singing love’s sad, sweet songs, including “Wee Small Hours,” “I’ll Remember April,” and other late-night tunes. Credit was also due to Frank Metis for his imaginative and complementary arrangements, performed by three different ensembles and skillfully conducted by the arranger himself, featuring the harp, oboe, and brass.